


a lifetime of firsts

by lopezuuus



Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: Angst, Childhood Friends, F/M, First Love, First Time, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Rio is v sweet in this, Romantic Soulmates, Sad (ish) Ending, Slow Burn, Smut, So fluffy you'll die, in his own way at least
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:55:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28338822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lopezuuus/pseuds/lopezuuus
Summary: Rio reminisces about his and Beth's firsts.
Relationships: Beth Boland/Rio
Comments: 14
Kudos: 102





	a lifetime of firsts

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Panic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13277433) by [iknewaman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iknewaman/pseuds/iknewaman). 



> As much as I love Annie, she's not a part of this story (at least not physically).
> 
> Hope you'll enjoy my take on Brio's lovestory.

The memory of their first meeting is a bit hazy, but Rio definitely remembers it involving him getting in trouble.

He'd never been a fan of school, let it be middle school or high school. Always finding it boring, like he already was too smart for all the shit they were being taught, and clearly, he _was_. 

He'd been sat at the back of the class, clearly distracted from the maths class he was supposed to be paying attention to, busy making a brand new peashooter from an empty pen and some paper balls. He'd been so close to finish it when the teacher had snatch it from him, making him jump in the process, caught red handed. 

"To the Principal's office. Now."

He drags his feet as he makes his way to the office for the third time this week, sighing loudly in the process.

"You're going to the office again ?" A small voice asks, so quiet Rio almost doesn't hear it at first.

He stops, looking around for the voice, his eyes stopping on a small blonde girl sat in an empty classroom, a book in her hands.

"Huh ?" He asks dumbly, standing in the doorframe. The girl puts down her book, turning towards him. She looks tiny.

"You know, you could get expelled, if you keep getting in trouble."

His little forehead scrunches up as he frowns, his lips parted as he stares at the girl like a god damn idiot. He's about to ask her about what the fuck it is she wants meddling into his business, but he doesn't get a chance to as the girl stands up and joins him, stretching out a tiny hand in his direction.

"My name is Beth," she says, smiling a little as she sways on her feet. Her blonde hair is tied in a messy braid, making her look even younger than she is. Rio remembers seeing her eating alone in the bleechers, one time.

"Christopher," he says, shaking her hand slowly. 

"Hi, Christopher," she answers, her tone lighter. "It is nice to meet you."

Rio still cringes thinking about how dumb he looked.

*

The first time Rio invites Beth to his house is when he wants to show her his brand new Mario Kart game. He knows it's not a girl's first interest, but Beth always seem genuinely happy to play with him, no matter what they're doing, so he takes that as a victory.

They both come to his house after school, Rio eagerly leading the way as Beth follows him shyly.

"Mom, this is Beth, we're going to play Mario Kart in my room !" He exclaims, putting his schoolbag next to the door as he toes his sneakers off. He's running upstairs to his bedroom before Anita has time to say anything, but Beth stands awkwardly in the hallway, holding her bag like she'd be lost without it.

"Hi," Anita says, kneeling in front of Beth, a nice smile on her lips. "Your name is Beth ?"

Beth nods, smiling shyly. "Give me your coat, sweetheart."

She does, putting her bag next to Rio's and taking off her worn out ballet flats. "You can go upstairs, I'm sure Christopher’s eager to play."

"Thank you, Mrs Rivera," she says politely, earning another nice smile from Rio's mom.

"It's okay, sweetheart. You can call me Anita."

*

The first time Rio comes to Beth's house, he feels like he just entered another universe. The appartment is not exactly dirty, but it sure is messy. There's laundry scattered everywhere alongside some papers, but Rio's only 5, so he doesn't really mind. 

Doesn't really notice there's no grown ups to watch them, either.

"Is that your mom ?" Rio asks when they finally enter Beth's bedroom (which she shares with her little sister, Annie, who's currently watching tv in the living room under no surveillance whatsoever), pointing at a frame on her desk.

"Yes," she nods, taking the frame into her tiny hands. "With Annie, too ! It's when we went to the zoo, before... Uh, before."

Rio nods, taking in the other pictures, frowning. "They're all of your mom. Where's your dad ?"

Beth visibly blanches at that, looking confused. She puts down the frame, fidgetting nervously under Rio's gaze. "I don't know."

"You don't know ?" Rio repeats like it's the craziest thing he's ever heard. Beth just nods, looking anywhere but at him.

"How can you not know," he says, looking at the frame like they're some great mystery he's got to solve. Beth moves nervously next to him, her bottom lip trembling where it's caught between her teeth. "That's stupid," he concludes.

Beth opens her mouth like she wants to answer but closes it immediately. "How can you not have a dad ?" He pushes, unaware of how rude it sounds.

"I don't know," she repeats, a little more unsure, her brows knitted in worry, like she's done something bad. 

"How were you made, then ? You have to have a mum and dad to be made."

"Huh," she starts, avoiding Rio's gaze. "I guess I had one, but then I didn't."

"How can you lose a dad ? That doesn't make any sense," Rio asks, incredulous.

He's about to push again, to argue that people just don't disappear like that, but he closes his mouth before saying anything. He has a vague memory of his mom explaining that sometimes families are a little different, that you can have two dads or two moms, or even no parents at all. That sometimes life makes you only have a mom alone or a dad alone, and that's just how it is. He remembers her voice cracking a little at the end when she explained that she grew up with no one at all, telling him to never take family for granted, and now he feels bad.

He feels uncomfortable looking at Beth, who's currently looking at her pink socks like they're the most interesting thing in the room. She's still biting her lip nervously, avoiding his gaze. He feels guilty for prying.

"Actually, maybe it's possible to have only a mom. That's okay, too," he adds, a little sheepish. "My mom had no parents at all."

"She was alone ?" Beth's eyes catch on his, looking curious.

Rio shakes his head. "She had her brothers and sisters."

"Oh." Tears come in Beth's blue eyes, making Rio's heart hurt in his chest. "That's sad."

"It's okay," he says, putting his small hand on Beth's shoulder. Inside, he agrees. Outside, he stays proud. "She's got us, now. Just like you've got me."

"She's lucky," Beth says, her lips quirking up into a smile. "So am I."

Rio preens at the words, pushing on her shoulder lightly to make her sway. "Of course. I'm the best. Now, where's that book you wanted to show me ?"

*

The first fight he and Beth have is over something so stupid and not important at all, all things considered. Or at least, Rio doesn't think it's important. They're 6 now.

Rio had decided to teach Beth how to throw a punch. Lately, a lot of kids in their grade and beyond had been making fun of Beth for her hand-me-down clothes and shoes, and Beth being Beth, she hadn't done a single thing about it. It pissed Rio off to no end and he'd decided to take matters into his own hands. He couldn't always be there to protect her, so teaching her how to fight seemed to be the only option here.

If only Beth could fucking learn.

"Ow, Rio ! You hurt me !" She wails, hugging her small hand close to her chest, making Rio growl.

"You're not holding you hand correctly !"

"Well, if you could stop punching it !"

"I'm trying to teach you how to throw a punch," he says, incredulous. "How am I supposed to do that without punching you ?"

"I don't want to learn how !" She sniffles, her bottom lip quivering. That frustrates him even more. Fucking girls.

"I'm trying to help," he spits, annoyed. "Why are you being so difficult about this ?"

"I don't need to learn how to throw punches, it's just stupid," she says weakly. "Nobody's punching me, it's just insults."

And god, those simple words piss him off even more. He loses his temper as he yells, "But they will punch you, it's just a matter of time! Because you're weak, and they think you're useless, and because you can't fight for shit! They know it, and they'll come after you because of it, and what you're gonna do ? Nothing! Because you refuse to learn like a fucking idiot!"

Rio's panting by the end of it, anger coursing through his veins as he towers over Beth. He's got a few centimetres over her, but right now it feels like more. The girl is stunned into silence, frozen on the spot, looking like a deer caught on headlights.

Several seconds of nothing pass but Rio's heavy breathing fills up the silence before Beth's lips tremble for good, her eyes watering. Fuck, _fuck_.

"You're so mean!" She yells, turning on her heels, running away from him. It takes Rio a few seconds to realize what he's done, but once he does, he's hot in pursuit.

"Wait !"

Age six is a very young age to know one's fucked up, but Rio's always been an early bloomer, anyway.

*

Their first make up comes minutes after their first fight. Rio quickly manages to catch up to Beth and wrestles the small girl into his arms, hugging her. She struggles at first but when Rio starts repeating soft "I'm sorry's" in her ears like a mantra, she calms down. She's still shaking and sniffling but at least she's done fighting.

Rio can feel her tears staining his tshirt, but he doesn't mind. He just hugs her tighter until Beth's sobs finally dry out.

"'m sorry." He says again, looking at her puffy face. She's got snot on her nose and her face is all red, but he doesn't say anything.

"You said I have you, now," she says, her voice still shaking a little. Rio nods.

"Of course you've got me."

Beth gives a small nod, wiping her face with her sleeve.

"You wanna go home ?"

She nods again and takes Rio's hand when he offers it. The walk to Beth's appartment is quiet, but it's fine. If she doesn't want to talk, he's not gonna make her. Instead he holds her hand tighter, ignoring how sticky it is and trying not to think of the disgusting fluids it's covered in, and makes one-sided conversation of what he thinks starting school next year will be like.

*

The first time Rio gets in a fight for Beth (which, you know, he knew would happen), it’s because some older kids start to shove Beth around in the playground, calling her "poor" and "useless" and "ugly". She’s not even defending herself, looking absolutely destroyed by their words, and Rio sees red. 

He’s never been so angry.

He rushes at them with a crazy yell, throwing punches to defend his friend. Beth won't fight back, won't even learn how to, but that doesn't mean Rio won't on her behalf. He's going in for a kill.

He gets suspended, of course, but it's worth it.

Especially when it's also the first time Beth pecks him on the cheek before hugging him, muttering a shaky "thank you" in his ear.

*

The first time Beth calls Rio "Rio" is when they're 8. They're playing in Rio's garden, Beth lying down on her stomach as she's coloring and drawing while Rio focuses on building the plane model his father got him. They're bathing in the sun, doing their own stuff in a comfortable silence, until Beth breaks it, sitting on her knees as she gives him the sheet of paper.

"That's for you," she says, her hands coming to her thighs, looking at him expectantly.

It's a simple drawing of what's supposed to be both of them. She's drawn him as a super hero, fire coming out of his fist while wearing a cool costume, which makes Rio smile. "To: Rio" is written in a pretty handwriting in the bottom corner of the sheet and he frowns. 

"Who's Rio ?" He asks, looking at the drawing with furrowed brows. "I thought you said it was for me."

"It is," she says, pointing the name with her small index finger. "You're Rio."

He's looking at her like she's grown a second head, the look making Beth giggle. Rio looks even more frustrated, looking at the drawing with an intense look, like he's offended by it.

"You're my best friend," she explains, looking at him with those bambi eyes she's got. "I want to give you a special name, because you're special to me."

He can feel his cheeks redden, his heart fluttering in his chest despite himself, but he's got to stay tough- she sees him as a badass super hero, after all.

"Ah, if you insist, then." He says as he puts down the drawing, pretending it's no big deal. "Well, I guess I have to find one for you, too." He even has the nerves to make his tone bored.

But who is he kidding ? Even at 8 Beth sees right through it.

*

Weirdly enough, Beth is there the first time someone confesses to Rio. They're in middle school now, eleven years old and still best friends. Beth is more confident now, less easily-intimidated, which Rio approves of. She teases back now, keeping up with his wit when they banter. 

The two of them are heading home from school, ready to go do their homework at Rio's house, when a girl intercepts them. She's tall, almost as tall as Rio, with big brown eyes and black hair, tied up in a high ponytail. 

"Um, Christopher ?" She begins, smiling nervously and fidgeting. "Do you mind if I could speak with you in private ?"

Beth stops walking, turning around to look at the girl curiously, pulling on Rio's sleeve to make him stop. He does, his eyes flicking to the side to look at Beth before returning his gaze to the girl. "Yes."

The girl beams, almost jumping in the air, before Rio cuts her off. "I do mind. Very much."

Her smile drops and Beth's eyes go wide next to him. "Oh..."

"Whatever you want, you can say in front of Eli."

Beth turns to him, red as a tomato, her eyes wide open. "Rio, that's not-"

"She either tells both of us or none of us," he shrugs, looking as bored as ever, completely oblivious. That makes Beth wince.

"Okay, um..." The girl murmurs, looking between the two of them like she'd rather be anywhere else. It makes Rio raise an eyebrow, his patience running thin. "I wanted to know if you wanted, to, uh..."

"If I wanted to what ?" He asks, irritation clear on his voice and on his face. Beth pulls on his sleeve, her brows furrowed as she whispers "Rio... Don't be rude..."

"If you... Wanted to go to the movies with me, tomorrow ?"

"Huh ?" he asks dumbly, looking at the girl like she's a weird species he's never seen before. She's blushing fluriously, playing with the bottom of her skirt to do something with her hands, her nervousness getting on his nerves.

A long, drawn-out moment of silence drops over them. He doesn't recall the memory very well, but he swears the wind was laughing at them. He's looking at Beth curiously, like he's got no idea about what's happening, so she tiptoes and he leans halfay to meet her. She whispers, as if it's a secret, "She wants to go on a date with you."

"Huh ?" He whips around to the girl who jumps at the sound. "You tryna go on a date with me ?"

"Uh, yes..."

"Ah, I see, " he says, shaking his head as he starts to walk again. "Nope, thanks. Forget it. I don't want it."

Beth stays rooted to the spot, blushing furiously as she mutters a quiet apology, running after Rio to join him. She's breating heavily by the time she reaches him, glaring at Rio through her blonde fringe, her hands on her knees as she catches her breath. "What the hell, Rio ? Why'd you leave like that, that was so rude!"

"Conversation was over," he shrugs.

"She was hurt," she says, disappointment evident in her tone. Her big blue eyes are shining, too.

"So ?" He shrugs again, waiting for Beth to walk again.

"That's really mean, Rio."

"So ?" He says again, losing patience as she stands straight again, her cheeks still red from running.

"Next time you should try being nicer, letting them down more gently. It's hard enough to confess to someone you like, and even harder to be rejected. You didn't have to lay it on thick."

"Hang on," he says, putting his hands on Beth's shoulders, who's still way shorter than he is. "What do you mean, 'next time' ? You told her to try again?"

"No !" She denies instantly, shaking her head. "I just apologised and told her she could do better-"

"You said what ?"

"Rio, you- you know there's a lot of other people who'll confess to you, right ? I mean, people are discovering their romantic feelings."

"Wrong," he argues, putting his hands on his jacket pockets. "Puberty is when you discover your romantic feelings."

It makes Beth frowns. "Are you telling me you haven't experienced any feelings of love yet ?"

" 'Course not," he says easily. "Have you ?"

A faint blush rises to her cheeks, which makes Rio quirk a brow. 

"I haven't," she whispers, looking down at her worn out converse as they began walking again. Rio is fine with dropping the subject entirely, his interest in girls being limited to Beth and Beth only, but she speaks again, her voice shy. "I'm just confused. Figuring out this whole feelings thing can be difficult."

"That's why I avoid it completely."

That makes Beth chuckle, the mood lightening up. "You're gonna do that forever ?"

"Ask me again when I hit puberty, nerd," he jokes, shoving her to the side playfully.

*

And ah, the first time Rio realises he's got non platonic feelings for Beth is when he's just hit puberty. He's 14, all skinny and tall and weird, there's hair popping up on odd patches of his body, and his voice seems to be in a state of perpetual breakage, which has his family howling with laughter. Really, he's not at his sexiest right now, which is why he buries those weird emotions inside, ignoring them for the time being.

Beth, on the other hand, is turning into a pure goddess. She's a bit taller now, more mature as she's gained a few pounds, especially in the chest area. It's almost surreal how her boobs grew in a record time, earning interest from the other boys at school. Her hair is a bit longer now too, complimenting her face in a nice way.

Needless to say, Rio feels like the beast next to the beauty.

*

Rio must have been a Good Samaritan in another life, because his first kiss also happens to be with Beth. It's also the first time he calls Beth "Elizabeth" instead of "Eli", the upgrade unexpected. It occurs before he's even aware of it, and ends just as quickly.

They're chilling in Rio's garden, sitting and swaying slowly on the swing seat silently, looking at the sky. It's scorching hot, too hot to actually move, so they're enjoying the chilly wind the swinging provides them.

They've got homeworks to do, he knows, just like he knows it's a matter of time before Beth gets all responsible and forces him to work, so he enjoys the few moments of quiet. He's never had trouble with homework, doesn't even find it difficult to begin with, but it's like every teacher of theirs had a personal vendetta against their class with the amount of written work they'd been assigned.

Rio heaves a sigh. He's done with it before even starting.

"You okay ?" she asks, looking at the sky, the cracker she's munching on hanging from her mouth, like she always does when she's focused on something.

"You look ridiculous," he says, amused.

"Well, sorry," she says, swallowing the cracker. "That's the only face I've got."

Rio emits a deep, low grunt, keeping his face neutral. "How unfortunate."

It's really not. She's prettier as ever, her long hair tied in a tight bread that rests on her shoulder. A few strands have gone out and are sticking to her forehard from the sweat, but she looks beautiful nonetheless in her floral dress. 

"Piss off," she says, her lips curving as she pokes him in the calf with her bare toe.

"Make me," he counters immediately, a challenge in his tone. A challenge Beth immediately picks up on, her smile turning sharp.

"Oh yeah ?" She returns, sitting straighter to shove him away playfully. He stumbles back a bit, the swing seat giving him no balance at all, but he comes at her with renewed vigour. Their hands meet in the middle, fingers lacing as they're trying to make the other fall of the swing. It used to be their favourite game as children, trying to handle the other until they beg for mercy. Rio always used to win, but Beth has gained some strenght. Still, he still got the upper hand.

Beth's hands are cold in his despite the scorching weather, a nice contrast to Rio's warm ones, and finally she stumbles a little. "Give up ?" He asks with a smirk.

"You wish," she says, her eyes bright from the challenge.

The direct eye contact has Rio's stomach flipping widly and he belatedly realises how close they're sitting. He can see how perfect her skin is, can see the freckles on her nose, the slight scar on her cupid's bow. Her little vampire teeth poke out as she's struggling, her giggles surrounding them.

He losts then, falling off the swing seat and bringing Beth in his fall, muttering a "Ow" as she falls on him, stabbing him with her elbow.

"Looks like I won," she states, breathless, their hands still intertwined.

They're even closer now, their faces millimeters away. God, and he thought it was too hot before.

"Yes," he says, just as breathless. "It hurts."

"Where ?"

"Everywhere."

It makes her chuckle and with a shake of her head, she reaches for Rio. She gently presses a kiss to his forehead, to his nose, to his cheeks. That's something they used to do as kids, everytime Rio got in a fight for Beth (or even, in a fight period), but now that they're teenagers, it has a whole different meaning attached to it. At least, to Rio.

He swallows as she pulls back slightly, a smile on her rosy lips. "Better ?"

He wets his suddenly dry lips, and utters, out of nowhere, "Elizabeth..."

The nickname makes Beth's eyes open a little wider, a breathless gasp escaping her mouth, her cheeks reddening. He inwardly curses, but is quickly distracted by the way Beth mirrors him and wets her lips. He follows the movement of her tongue and it's so fucking endearing that before Rio realizes what he's doing, he's leaning forward and pecking his childhood friend on the lips.

It's only when he pulls back that he comprehends what he's just done. He's screaming internally for being such an idiot but his inner voice drifts away slowly as Beth stars stuttering.

"I, uh.. I-.. What d-did you do that for ?"

"I wanted to," he says simply, hiding how mortified he feels. Really, he pats himself on the shoulder for being coherent at this point. She opens and closes her mouth in quick succession, making her look dumb.

"Elizabeth, huh ?" She whispers, her bambi blue eyes meeting his, and he's a goner. She blinks slowly, her long lashes caressing her cheeks, and fuck if he doesn't want to ruin their friendship by kissing her again.

"Is... Is that okay ?" he asks, nerves shaking his voice. He's not sure if he's asking about the kiss or the nickname, but Beth doesn't seem to mind. She's always been smarter than him, anyway.

"Yeah... More than okay," she says, pressing her lips to his once more. 

It's messy, it's clumsy and clueless, but god, it's good.

*

It might surprise you, but Rio's first date also is with Beth, and it's so simple and easy that he doesn't know why he was nervous in the first place. Thinking about it, everything they ever did together could've been called a date, so there's no pressure to be have.

Except now, it feels like there's more at sake.

The date goes perfectly well because it doesn't break off from their usual plans. They have a meal at McDonald's (Rio is paying, of course, like the gentleman he is) and then they meet up in Rio's bedroom to play videogames together. Beth insists on buying the snacks so they stuff their faces with sugar as they play. 

It's a simple date, but Rio feels oddly proud about it.

They always meet up at Rio's house anyway, as Beth's house situation is far from perfect, but he doesn't mind. His mom loves Beth, too, so it's all perfect.

*

The first time they have sex is in the middle of the night during their junior year. Rio just turned 17 while Beth still has some months before her birthday, but she's always been more mature anyway. 

Rio's been ready to have sex for months now, getting boners at anything and everything, but Beth is more hesitant. Obviously, Rio's not going to force her into something she doesn't want, he knows how to respect boundaries, but it's a daily struggle. It's not like they haven't done anything - there's been clumsy handjobs and Rio's been allowed to touch her breast (which - thank god), but nothing more than that.

And Rio's dying to know what it feels like to get his dick wet. Like really, really, _really_ wants to know what it's like.

Everytime he catches sight of Beth in the hallways, doing something utterly ordinary, he feels his stomach fluttering in adoration. It could be her covering her mouth as she giggles, playing with her hair as she talks to her friend Ruby or even her tying her laces, and he's a goner. Parts of him wants to hold Beth close and kiss her hair, but another part of him, more twisted, wants to kiss the breath out of her and touch her until she's a sobbing mess.

God, he needs to chill.

So yeah, he's really excited about eventually, hopefully, getting to bone Beth. Still, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous about having sex. He's tried to be sensible about it and to look up informations, but he always end up jerking off to porn.

He still learns some things, and the thought of Beth doing researches of her own comforts him, too. 

But even though Rio is trying hard to approach the whole sex thing in a logical and reasonable way, he's still a 17 year old boy having a smoking hot girlfriend who he wants to possess in the most primal way. He's not known for his patience, but for Beth, he tries, he really does.

That is until one late night when a knock on his window rouses him from where he's fall asleep at his desk. He originally plans on ignoring it and falling back to sleep, but another knock comes, making him sit up with a groan. His phone tells him it's almost midnight, making him frown as he stands up, scratching his skull.

Turning on his desk lamp he finally sees her, standing at his window, so he opens it.

"Hello," she says, smiling shakily. Her hair is a little wild, and she's clad in a pink hoodie and some white sleeping shorts. Almost like she was in bed and decided to show up.

"Huh ?" He raps, still half asleep as she comes in, walking past him. "What're you doing here ?"

"Why ?" She asks, taking off her white converse, sitting on the bed. Suddenly, she looks self-conscious. "You want me to leave ?" She looks unsure.

" 'Course not," he mutters, sitting next to her on the bed. "What's up ?"

They lapse into a deep silence, Rio looking at her while she's searching for her words. Her eyes meet his, her bottom lip between her teeth as she whispers, "I wanted to see you."

Rio remains silent, feeling like there's more to come.

"I want to have sex," she says, whispering it, like it's some secret. "With you."

"Huh ?" He says again, not sure he's heard correctly. His mind tries to catch up with the words. "You sure ?"

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

Rio can't argue with that. He swallows, his throat dries as he asks, "Do you... Do you want to lie down ?"

"Okay," she whispers, nodding, her voice small.

Beth slowly lies down on her back, bending her legs at the knees as Rio hovers above her, holding himself on his hands on each sides of her head. They lie there, chest to breast, legs to legs, hips to hips. His cock is trapped against her hip bone, and he stops himself from rutting against her like some sort of pervert.

He feels her fingers card through his cropped hair, the rise and fall of her breathing lifting her chest up and down. Her other hand comes up to his cheek, gently caressing his cheekbone with her thumb, looking into his eyes lovingly. She's everything he's ever wanted.

His lips part, his breath coming out ragged, she looks so gorgeous. So.. _His_.

Softly, he kisses her, pressing his lips against hers firmly, and she kisses back. Soon enough tongues meet and they're kissing more eagerly. Their breathing are ragged, mixing between kisses, and Rio feels himself getting aroused. Beth's cheeks are red, panting from how he's been kissing her in that way she likes.

"I.. I want you to make love to me, Rio."

Rio's brain short circuits. He almost blow his load, too, but that's another story.

"What ?"

Beth just looks at him through her lashes, her blue eyes half-lidded in a seductive way. "I said I want you to fuck me, love."

The words have Rio crumbling and he pants out a "yes". He'd thought they'd be discussing sex more thoroughly, that he'd be facing more doubts from her, but she's looking at him with that face, and all his resolve flies out the window. She's already made up her mind, who is he to discuss ?

He kisses her again in that way she likes, her cheeks reddening as she pants. He kisses her neck, biting on that spot that makes her toes curl, and she moans quietly. The sound makes Rio's hair stand on his body.

Sitting back on his knees he pulls out his tshirt, taking Beth's off too when she lifts her arms to help him. God, she's not wearing a bra.

Her nipples perk up as the cold air hit them, and Rio licks his lips. He looks into Beth's eyes and she nods slightly, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. He leans down, sucking her nipple into his mouth. She moans under him, writhing from how good it feels and to Rio, it's almost an out of body experience.

He deeply wishes he could recall how their first time having sex went, but damn, he's actually a goddamn sap who can only remember how high on love he was the whole time. He remembers bits and pieces here and there, like how tight she'd felt when he first pushed in, how scorching hot and wet she was inside. He remembers Beth moaning his name, choking out on breathless gasps as he'd pounded inside of her, her nails scratching his back in a delicious burn. Proudly, he remembers how she'd moaned in his ear as he made her orgasm, filling the condom right after.

He really wishes he could recall the memory better, but all he remembers is that they were crazy good at sex. Like crazy good for first timers.

*

The first time (but not the last time, please finish him off) Ruby gives him the "you better treat Beth well or else" speech, she ambushes him on the changing room after PE. He just got out of the showers and the room's empty as he walks into it in nothing but a towel. He almosts yells at the sight of her standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, her stance unsure but her eyes burning hot. The sight makes him hold his towel tighter.

"What're you're doing here ?"

"Beth told me about... What you did, uh.. The other night."

The words make his eyebrows go up, clearly surprised. So Beth told her they had sex ? They're best friends, so that makes sense.

He almost asks her if she'd bragged about his skills, but stops himself.

"Okay," he says instead.

"Beth is a great girl," she says, her voice firm despite her looking uncomfortable, probably because of his state of undressed. "Take care of her. I mean it."

"I'm always takin' care of her."

"You better keep doing it, then."

She sways a little, holding one of the strap of her bag as she looks right into his eyes. "If you hurt her, I'll make you life a living hell. Got it ?"

The threat sounds ridiculous, almost making Rio snort despite himself, but he decides not to. If she's Beth friend, he'd better have her to like him. So he stands straighter, his face faux serious, and says, "You got it."

Thinking back to that moment, he takes some relief in the fact that he never went againt his words, because he's sure Ruby would've beat the shit out of him otherwise.

*

The first person Rio tells about him and Beth turns out to be Mick, and even though it's no surprise, it's more of an accidental confession than a planned one.

Beth is busy doing homework at Ruby's, so Rio is playing videogames with Mick instead. He'd rather hang out with his girl but Mick's one of his closest friend and he really likes the guy, so it's cool, too.

"Fuck this," Mick says, dropping the controller on the ground. "You're such a cheater."

"Don't need to cheat to beat you, you slug."

"So modest," he tuts, sitting back with his hands behind him for support. His back cracks and he groans in relief. They've been playing for almost two hours now, sitting on the hard floor or lying down in weird positions, so it's no surprise they need to loosen their muscles. Rio feels so stiff he almost moans when his neck cracks.

"Who's Elizabeth ?" Mick asks suddenly, poiting at the screen where the names of the previous players appear. Rio's eyes snap up and looks at the screen, where Beth's name is written in the second position. "She's got a better score than you, too!"

That makes him snort. His name is still brighting in letters of gold in the first position, but of course Mick would only see what he wants to see to tease him. "Yeah, that's, uh, that's Beth."

"Beth, huh ?" He asks, amused. "Didn't know you had a special name for her," he teases. "You two play often ?"

Rio nods distractedly, switching screens to start a new game. "Uh, yeah. Quite often."

"That's cool."

Rio hums, his eyes locked on the screen as Mick changes his character. He knows the conversation could be over as Mick's already focused on the game again, but he doesn't want to drop it.

"Beth comes over quite often, you know.. As we're dating."

His mind never leaves the screen, thumbing along the buttons to choose his own character. He tries to focus on nothing but the game, but he can feel Mick's gaze on him, so he turns his head.

"That's cool," Mick repeats, nodding.

Mick's not a chatty guy, so to Rio, it's enough.

*

Their first couple's fight happens a few months into their relationship. They're not the type to shout their love from the rooftop and are not fans of PDA so few people at school know they're a thing, but that's okay with them. It's no one else's business but theirs, anyway.

Their first fight (or lovers quarrel as Beth likes to call them, which pisses him off to no end), is because of Dean Boland. That stupid ass jock who's always following Beth around like a lost puppy, holding her books even when she tells him no and who's always trying to see under her skirts.

Rio feels like comitting murder.

What could be a one-time argument quickly turns into a full thing, especially when Beth gets heated up about the subject everytime Rio brings it up.

"I'm not going to stop being friends with him just because it threatens your masculinity."

"My masculinity is not threatened," he spits, jaw and shoulders tense. "He's just way too close to you, that ain't a friendship."

"Who are you to decide of the definition of friendship ?" She asks, her tone annoyed. It makes his blood boil, how she's defending him. "I have other friends that are close to me and you don't seem too worried about them."

Rio huffs, crossing his arms as he's leaning against the wall under the bleachers. 

He can't even explain why he's jealous. Dean's got nothing on him and he knows he's way too dumb for Beth, but he can't help it. 

"He's practically droolin' all over you."

Beth huffs, holding her books closer to her chest. "What does it change ? You're almost peeing on me to mark your territory."

"What your problem ?" He spits, angry. "You wanna date him or somethin' ?"

"You're being ridiculous."

"I am being ridiculous ? I ain't the one stayin' friend with some dumbass jock followin' you around all day."

Beth shakes her head, sighing. "I'm too tired for this." 

"You think I ain't tired seein' my girl doin' anything for attention ?"

That makes Beth click her jaw as she stars walking away, throwing the words over her shoulder, "You know what ? Come find me when you've stopped being a child."

The words kick Rio into action and he rushes after Beth, holding the door open as she calmy disappears into the school.

"I'm the one being childish ? Fuck you, Beth, _fuck you_ !"

*

The first time they make up as a couple is a few tense days later. They haven't talked in days, Rio too proud to reach out first and Beth too stubborn to let this pass. Needless to say, they're stuck.

They're both told off by their respective friends more than once, told that being stubborn and hot-headed leads to nothing good, but even that is not enough to make them bulge. If Rio can be an impulsive prick, so can Beth.

Finally, a week and a half after their lovers quarrel (and god, that still makes Rio cringe), he confronts Beth as she's exiting the bathrooms, chatting with Ruby. She doesn't even have time to react as Rio pulls her by the arm, ignoring Ruby's cries of indignation as he takes the blonde to their spot behind the bleachers.

"What the hell ?" She asks, freeing her arm from his grip, a frown on her face. She crosses her arms, looking everything but pleased.

"I fuckin' hate Boland," he says, and Beth shakes her head in disbelief. 

"Are you for real right now ?"

"Let me finish," he grumbles, clearing his throat. "Don't wanna know why I hate him ?"

"Are you gonna be a dick about it ?"

"Probably," he admits. "But you'll understand my point if you just hear me out."

Beth sighs, looking exhausted. She's probably not sleeping well. "Go on."

"Right." Rio clears his throat again, swallowing thickly. Damn, those words gonna hurt. "I fuckin' hate Boland, because.. Fuck. He's better."

Beth patiently waits for the end of that sentence, swaying on her feet, but when nothing comes she prompts, "Better at what ?"

Rio sighs, steeling himself for the answer. "Better for you. In many ways."

Beth lifts an eyebrow, ready to answer, but Rio speaks first. "He's white, he's got his dad's car store or whatever. He's got all his shit figured out for him. I ain't got nothin' like that."

"You think that matters to me ?" She asks, incredulous.

"Uh, yeah ? I know you wanna build a good future, for you and Annie."

"Dean must have all of that, and more," she starts, and Rio stops himself before he snorts. "But there's no guy in this world I like more than you."

She says that with so much tenderness in her eyes, Rio's breathless.

*

The first time Rio says 'i love you' to someone that's not his mom, it's Beth. They've been together for a year at this point, and even though he's felt it for a while, he's never planned on saying it- at least with words.

It's Valentine's Day, as cliché as it sounds, and they're supposed to meet a Rio's house to take his parents car and then go to a new sushi restaurant in town (a "grown-up date", his mom had called it. He's still cringing thinking about it). He's feeling as equally nervous and excited as he gets dressed, putting on a dark grey shirt and his fanciest pair of jeans (which is, you know, a regular black pair of jeans that's just more close-fitting than usual).

He puts on his favorite pair of Jordan's, looking at the clock. Elizabeth's gonna be here any minute now.

Except she doesn't come.

Minutes become hours and Rio's freaking out. He's tried calling but gets send straight to voicemail. He thinks of just taking the damn car and showing up at her house, but her mom told him he's overreacting two times already, and he doesn't feel like making a fool of himself just because Beth's an hour late. Maybe she's on her way, he tells himself. 

But Rio's never been known for his patience and soon enough he's on his way to Beth's neighborhood. He's pissed, filled with worry and anger, trying to remember if he did something that could've lead to his girlfriend standing him up. He finds none.

It's raining like crazy, making it real hard to see anything despite the windshield wipers going at full speed, but he sees her anyway. A few blocks from her apartment's building, running with her coat over her head. He parks next to her, opening the window and shouting a "Elizabeth, get in !" when she sees him.

She does, entering the car soaked to the bone, shivering from the cold. Rio puts the heatin to the highest.

"I was fuckin' worried," he says, breathing hard. He didn't even realize he was holding his breath before.

"I'm so sorry," she mutters, her teeth chattering as she struggles to get hot. "I had to- I had to take care of Annie, and my phone died, and I tried running-"

"You was gonna run to my house ?" He asks, incredulous, his eyebrows going up at her small "yes" in answer.

"It's Valentine's Day," she whispers, her voice small and quiet. She's looking at her feet, shivering as she says, "I didn't want to miss it."

Rio feels like he's being punched in the stomach, the words making him speechless. She was going to run all across town under a driving rain just because she didn't want to miss a date. With him.

He can't believe how lucky he is. Never truly realized it before this moment, even.

"I love you," he blurts out before he even realizes it, making Beth's eyes meet his, wide. She opens her mouth and closes it a few time before she finally speaks.

"Say that again," she says, her voice shaky, even though she's not shivering anymore.

"I love you." He repeats, more sure, surging forward to kiss her.

She kisses him back as fervently, holding his face in her small hands.

"I love you too." 

It's whispered against his lips but to Rio, it's as if she'd shouted it from the rooftops.

*

Lot of people would have bet against it, but Beth and Rio are still together after graduation.

It's his first time leaving his parents' house and for his biggest pleasure, it's to move in with his girl.

Fall is just around the corner as they unpack the last of their boxes, both exhausted but happy. Beth's going to UDM in september to become a teacher, while Rio decided he's more than done with school. Instead, he's found a job at his uncle's accounting company. It's not ideal, but it'll do.

Unfortunately, moving in also means purchasing new stuff, which leads to Rio almost blowing up IKEA. He's ready to declare war against Norway any minute now.

"IKEA is Swedish, not Norwegian," Beth corrects him, peacefully looking at cushions for their brand new couch.

Except Rio doesn't give a shit and he tells her just that, thinking he'll just declare war on all Scandinavian countries if she ever forces him to go into an IKEA again.

*

On the bright side, purchasing new things from IKEA also means testing it out.

And they do just that - christening their brand new bed as soon as they step foot into the flat.

Beth rides him hard, leaning her hands on Rio's chest to push herself up and down his cock at a quick pace. Her thighs shake from the exertion and pleasure she's feeling, taking him deep inside of her. Rio can't help but watch her, biting his lips as he digs his nail into her skin, making her gasp in pleasure. 

It's a dream, seeing her pleasure herself on his hard cock, taking him deeper and deeper with her head thrown back, moaning like a porn star. His eyes never leave her, even as he's snapping his hips up to meet hers, making them both shake from their imminent orgasms. 

They come together, moaning and groaning without restraint.

Afterwards, Beth falls forward onto his chest, breathing heavily. Rio's strong arms instantly wrap around her, kissing her head and grinning like crazy. Their eyes meet, both of them grinning like the perverts they are, before Beth leans down to kiss him deeply, making his cock twitch inside of her. He's already getting hard again, ready to start round two, but Beth sits back up, lazily reaching to the headboard and gently patting it.

"Good job, IKEA," she teases.

"Elizabeth, I swear to fuckin' God-"

Her laughter fills their bedroom, echoing in the almost empty room, and it's hands down Rio's favorite sound in the world.

*

Rio's palm are all sweaty as he turns the little box into his hands again and again. It's his first time proposing to someone and he's _shitting himself_.

He books a table at a restaurant they both like in Detroit (the same restaurant in which they fucked once, clumsily sneaking to the bathroom because they couldn't wait to go home, the absolute pervs), telling himself that it's the perfect place to start the next stage of their life, as it was also the first place they had semi-public sex in.

Yeah, Rio's priorities are a little all over the place, but he blames his anxiety. 

He makes sure to book it on the night of their anniversary so that Beth won't find out about the ulterior motive, and also books the tables next to theirs, just in case. Wouldn't want to have unwanted company on such an important night.

Rio makes sure to dress in his finest suit, wearing the cologne Beth got him on his birthday and that makes her eyes darken with lust when she smells it. Might as well end this night with a good fuck with his _fiancée_.

Really, everything that evening had been going brillantly. They'd been led to their tables in a quiet corner of the restaurant, away from peering eyes and ears. Tonight's even were for them and them only.

They'd chatted, laughed together, eaten and drank, when finally Rio decides it's now or never. He feels like he's gonna faint, but go big or go home, right ?

Setting down his glass of red wine, he clears his throat, trying to look less nervous than he actually is. "So, uh, you know it's our anniversary, right ?"

The words sound strange even to his own ears. God, he's never been a sentimentalist, Beth knows that.

"Well, yeah," she says, amused. "Isn't that why we're here tonight ?"

"Uh, yeah." His hands fiddling with the velvet box under the table. "But, you know... There's, uh,"

"You okay ?" Beth asks as he coughs, worry colouring her tone.

"I'm fine," he assures, feeling like an idiot. "Uh. You know I love you, right ?"

Beth's eyes shine like they always do when he tells her that, and she chuckles. "Yes."

"And I think you're pretty dope, and you think I'm great, too."

"I do," she says, clearly amused, eager to see where this is going.

"Right. And uh, since we both think we're dope, and since I love you and all, and, uh- I think, it would be- Uh..."

He's blabbering now, and he never blabbers. He could almost slap himself.

"Will you, uh, well. Will you marry me ?" He finally asks in a rush, hastily placing the box on the table. It's closed, which is dumb, so he hurries to open it, displaying the ring to Beth. It's a simple golden band with a small diamond, beautiful and simple, just like Beth is. 

"No."

Rio is having a stroke.

"Uh ?"

Beth shakes her head, lips curving into a weird smile. Wait, is that pity ? "It's a no from me."

Rio takes a few moments to process the words, but when he does all he feels is anger.

Absolute white fury.

"What the fuck ?" He spits, incredulous.

Beth just shrugs.

Why in hell is she shrugging???

"The fuck ?" He asks again, sitting straighter. "I just asked you to marry me and you fuckin' shrug ? Who even does that ?"

"I mean," she says, gently putting her napking into her empty plate, "I just don't see why you want to marry me."

"Why woudn't I ?"

"Why would you ?"

"Uh, because I love you ?" He spits, eyes blazing. "Because we been together for as long as I can fuckin' remember and I don't want to know what's life is like without you ?"

He's breathless from how fast his heart is beating, his hands coming into fist at his sides. Beth's eyes are wide and she's shaking. Suddenly, she bursts out laughing, the sound echoing in the restaurant.

Now Rio's not so sure he likes that sound anymore.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Rio," she says, wiping her eyes. "I just- I knew you were going to propose tonight."

That makes him jerk back. "The fuck ?"

"I knew," she repeats, her laughter coming to a stop.

"That ain't possible, I thought of everything." He argues. "How the fuck could you have known ?"

"You're serious ?" She asks, gesturing around them. "It's our anniversary and none of the tables around us have people sat at them, on a friday night."

Rio feels himself redden at that. He never, ever, blushes. "I wanted to have some privacy!"

"We've had plenty of privacy here before," she teases, and Rio knows she's talking about that time in the bathroom. "But you're right, the privacy is nice, it was just a pretty big clue."

Rio groans.

"Also, you've been strangely nice to me all day, which made me realize something was up."

"Are you serious," he groans again, throwing his head back. "Fuck. All this efforts and it didn't even meant shit in the end."

"It did," she says, taking one of his hand. "I thought it was sweet."

"I wasn't looking for 'sweet'," he mumbles, looking at their hands.

"I also thought it was nice. And sexy. And thoughtful."

"You did ?" He asks, taking her hand in both of his. "Then why in the name of fuck did you say no ?"

"I wanted to see your reaction, is all," she says, with that irritating smile she's got when she wins something.

"That's fuckin' cruel," he says, his eyes never leaving hers. She smiles again, nodding slightly as she whispers a quiet "I know."

"I'm two seconds away from throwin' this ring in the trash."

"No, it's mine !" She wails around a laugh, diving for the box in Rio's hands. She extracts the ring from its soft bedding and looks at it with shiny eyes. She smiles at it, looking a it with admiration as she goes to put it on her ring finger.

"Lemme do it," Rio whispers as he takes it from her, taking her left hand in his own. He carefully slips the ring onto her finger, the sight causing his insides to twist with joy.

He's never felt as weaker as he is when he's with Beth, but he's also never felt as stronger. She makes him complete.

"How does it look ?" She asks, her voice filled with emotion.

"Perfect," he murmurs, his eyes softening.

*

What follows in the coming months is Rio's definition of hell on Earth. There's a lot of firsts for him, and he prays to any and every God that'll have mercy that they're also his lasts.

Beth and him hire a wedding planner for the first time, but when the guy's ideas turn out to be the origin of a few conflicts for the pair, he's promptly asked to leave.

They try cake-testing for the first time together, and even though Rio's got the biggest sweet tooth in history, even he is sick of all the sugar they have to eat. When he sees the constant smile on Beth's face though, it's all worth it, so he suffers through it. For his fiancée. His soon-to-be wife. The love of his life who's currently feeding him 3 sorts of cake that totally taste the same but that Beth insist are different. He's so sick by the end of the day that the blonde has to make the ultimate decision on her own, but she looks so happy with her choice Rio doesn't have it in himself to tease her on it.

It's also the first time he asks Mick to be his best man.

"I've been waiting for this moment my entire life," Mick answers sarcastically, but Rio knows he's only teasing. If the light in his eyes is anything to go by, Mick's actually really, really happy for them. That's a nice reminder that Mick's been there for everything in his life, and he hopes he does the same for him, too.

There's a lot of firsts to go through when you plan a wedding, but thankfully Beth and Rio's sisters seem to be more than happy to handle the irritating details. He's still actively participating, giving his open and honest opinion on everything (which, as usual, brings out arguments, but who are they without them?), sometimes nodding along things he doesn't really care about. Eventually, he's so exhausted by everything they need to think of Beth assigns him a wedding activity that Rio finds hilarious, as it just involves him "try not to panic about the ceremony." 

Well, the joke's on Beth, because Rio can't wait to marry the girl and spend the rest of his life with her. It's easy, it's known territory, he's been doing this forever, he's mastering it. He agrees on the assigment, letting the last details to be handled by the girls while he works on his vows with the help of his mom. She's over the moon with it, squeezing his cheeks as she kisses his forehead, gushing about the man he's become. 

It's also the first time he gets a bachelor party. Mick and some of his other childhood buddies come along, and the bunch go on a pub crawl the whole time. He's pleasantly buzzed, enjoying the time with his friends, drinks after drinks.

He eventually ends up in a tattoo shop, drunker than he dares to admit, as he gets his throat tattooed of all places. He's looking at it in the bathroom's mirror when his phone buzzes in his pocket.

It's a text from Annie, Beth's little sister, sending him a picture of her on her bachelorette party, reading a book on their couch, nuzzled against Ruby under a blanket. The text says _This is the girl you've chosen to marry_ , and he only sends two words in response : _No regrets_.

*

The first time Rio sees Beth walking towards the altar with both Annie and Ruby leading her down, he feels like he's seen a new color. Seeing Beth in her long, white lacy dress makes him feel like his life is just starting now, taking in the expression of utter joy on her face. Rio feels like he's seen a brand new color, and it turns out to be his favourite color, one he didn't know existed until it was there, walking down the aisle towards him, ready to marry him.

Really, it's his favourite.

*

"I'm pregnant."

It's the first time he's hearing those words, but little does he know, it won't be the last.

Turns out planning the birth of a child is as exhausting as planning a wedding, but also way funnier. 

They chose the colors for the room together, settling on something not gendered as they don't know what they're expecting. They buy all sorts of clothing, toys and useful shit Rio didn't even know baby needed, and it turns out he's even more eager than Beth to spoil their little bundle of joy.

Seeing Beth's belly starting to show is a sight Rio will never get tired of, he's sure of that. He's always touching it, gently stroking it or leaning his ear against it, listening to the quiet sounds of his baby. Beth is glowing, and Rio falls in love with her all over again everyday.

*

It's a long and hard labor, but finally Marcus is born. He's perfect, bringing them a kind of joy they didn't even know existed.

Emma and Jane are born not long after that, widening their family.

Rio never thought he'd be the kind of dad to be crazy about his kids, but he is.

As crazy for his wife as he is with his kids.

*

They have a long life together, raising their kids and saying goodbye to them as they become independant and leave the house.

Children give them grandchildren, who give them great-grandchildren. 

They have a big family, a great life, full of life and joy. Everything Rio never knew he deserved.

*

The first time Rio has to say goodbye to Beth is also the last time.

They're old now, the memories of a lifetime of love printed on their faces and bodies.

Their hands are intertwined as Beth is laying down on their bed, Rio sitting on his favorite chair next to it, holding her smaller hands in both of his. He's stroking her ring finger with his thumb, taking in the flutter of her eyelashes as he leans down to peck her on the lips, his moves slower than they were before. She opens her eyes, impossibly blue as she smiles weakly.

"You look ridiculous," he says, his voice shaky, making her smile more.

"Well, sorry," she says, her voice so weak it almost breaks Rio's heart. "That's the only face I've got."

"How unfortunate," he mutters, closing his eyes as Beth smiles, closing her eyes, exhaling for the last time ever.

Rio dies two days later, in their bed, a smile on his face.

He had a lifetime with the love of his life, and now, he gets to have one more on the other side.

**Author's Note:**

> I made myself cry but ah, it was worth it!!  
> Meet me on [tumblr](https://riveramour.tumblr.com/messagebox) if you wanna have a chat!


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